Report details election issues

Groups are calling on better training of election workers prior to the November election, after finding a number of issues during the June 5 recall. The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin teamed up with a coalition in training 152 volunteers to be election observers across the state.

Executive Director Andrea Kaminski says their report shows some election workers did not fully understand voting rules including what documents are acceptable to show one’s current address. She cites an oil change receipt was accepted as proof of residency in Waukesha County, while a driver’s license with current address was not accepted in Dane County.

The report says college students were turned away because they didn’t have the required residency documents; unlike previous years, their parents could not vouch for their children’s validity.

Kaminski disputes assertions of widespread, organized voter fraud. However, she cites one case of potential fraud where police were immediately notified. In Milwaukee, a man showed up to vote but someone had already cast a ballot under his name.

Kaminski says their partnering coalition, Wisconsin Election Protection, had similar findings when analyzing the data including voting places not being prepared to handle the massive turnout which lead to long lines.